by Carol Erb | Christian Counseling, Christian Marriage, Infidelity, Marriage Counseling, Pornography & Sexual Addiction |
If you’ve recently found out that your spouse has had an affair, (or if you’ve known for some time) your response is likely to be one of shock, disbelief and anger. It’s completely normal for you to feel as though you want to talk to someone about what you’ve discovered. However, the problem is that we tend to want to talk to too many of the wrong people. Who are safe people to talk to after an affair.
Sexual sin is incredibly debilitating to a marriage relationship. You are hurt and once the shock wears off, you’re probably going to feel furious and as though you need to vent. Even so, it’s important to be sure you’re talking about the situation to the right type of people so that you can get the help you really need. You need to identify the difference between safe people and unsafe people.
UNSAFE PEOPLE
It might come as a surprise that many of the people you might naturally gravitate to for the purpose of discussing your spouse’s affair are unsafe people. Family members and friends often fall into this category simply because they may directly or indirectly blame you for what happened or assume that something is wrong with you that caused the betrayal. They may encourage you to run away from the problem or get a divorce, which is not always the answer when one spouse has cheated on another.
As a matter of fact, you even need to be very wise about whom you talk within your church. Their intentions are usually good, and they want what’s best for you, but sometimes those in the church community give advice that’s more harmful than good. For example, if you’re a wife whose husband has been unfaithful, they may tell you to seek out Scripture that directs you to submit to his sexual desires, which is advice that doesn’t take into consideration the root of the problem that caused the betrayal. It also minimizes the depth of your spouse’s sexual problems.
Simply put, unsafe people will give you unwanted advice. They will try to fix the situation simply because they are not comfortable with your grief and anger.
SAFE PEOPLE
An individual is a safe person to talk to if you already know this person will love you and accept you unconditionally. It’s natural for you to want to vent to someone who listens, but you need to be sure that the information you share is safe with him or her. You don’t need to talk with anyone who will gossip about you or your situation. Also, it’s not necessary for that person to attempt to fix anything. What is necessary is Biblical encouragement and prayer. The person you choose to vent to should be very sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit and should not be taken aback by your angry emotions.
CHRISTIAN MARRIAGE COACHING
The best person for you to talk to is a professional, Christian marriage coach who has training in the area of pornography and sexual addictions and there are a lot of reasons for this. Your counselor or coach will talk with you in depth about the situation you’re in and he or she will pray for you as well about what you should do next. You’ll find nothing but direction, acceptance and love as you work through the issues facing your marriage.
If you would like to make an appointment to talk with a Christian marriage coach, we’d love to hear from you. Your location is no problem. Aside from meeting face-to-face, we work via video call and phone. You can contact us at 843-379-0288, or feel free to schedule your appointment using our
online scheduler.
The issues you’re facing right now are difficult, and they require a lot of prayer and wise counsel before you proceed. We would love to help you. And, if you have been faced with unsafe people in your healing journey, we’d love to hear your story. Send us a reply!
by Carol Erb | Christian Counseling, Christian Marriage, Infidelity, Marriage Counseling, Pornography & Sexual Addiction |
While it’s true that some marriages do not survive an affair or a life dominating pattern of sin-many marriages do. However, once the trust is gone, with a lot of work it is possible to get it back. In fact, once trust is regained you may come to a place in your marriage where there’s more honesty and intimacy than ever before. There are some things your husband can do to rebuild the trust that was lost when he sexually betrayed you.
1. YOU NEED SPACE
When your marriage has suffered a betrayal, such as a pornography, infidelity or a sexual addiction, it’s understandable that you are going to be highly emotional, or even irrational at times. There will be many instances when you will cry, scream or just need to vent. While it might be difficult for your husband to deal with, this is an important part of the healing process, and you need the space to do it. When you need to talk about the betrayal your husband’s response is crucial. Hearing “let’s talk”, even if it is at 2:00 AM gives you the reassurance he cares. He has known about the marital betrayal for quite some time. You have has just learned about it. You need time and space to come to terms with what has happened.
2. YOU NEED CONSISTENCY
If your marriage is going to survive, it’s very important for your husband to remain consistent with everything he says and does. If he make a promise about something, he needs to keep his promise. If he says he’ll be home at a certain time, he needs to make sure he’s home, or even early. Consistency is a very big part of trust, and as soon as he isn’t consistent, that allows more doubt to creep into your marriage. He needs to do everything he can to stay true to his word.
3. TAKE RESPONSIBILITY
It’s very painful for you if your spouse refuses to take responsibility for his actions, and it makes it that much harder for him to earn his trust back again. Because he has been the one to commit a marital betrayal, he is 100% at fault. Placing blame on anyone or anything else for what has happened must be avoided. Yes, it’s hard to admit wrong, but it’s also going to provide you with the quickest path toward healing your broken marriage and restoring trust.
Finally, talking with a Christian Marriage Coach can really help you work through the issues you’re facing during this difficult time in your marriage. Rebuilding trust is hard after an affair or any other kind of sexual betrayal. However, if you put in the effort, you will find that it’s definitely worth it.
I would love to help you work through this trying time. Grab your free copy of my ebook by clicking here and learn the 8 surefire strategies for recovering from sexual betrayal in marriage. Or, if you would like to make an appointment to talk with a Christian Marriage Coach, please contact me at 843-379-0288. You can also use my online scheduler to make your appointment at your convenience.
God has great plans for your marriage, and together, I’m confident that we can work through the problems in a way that’s Biblical and that results in healing.
by Carol Erb | Christian Marriage, Infidelity |
I CAN REMEMBER IT LIKE IT WAS YESTERDAY. I had just found out my husband was having an affair, and I was desperate to save our marriage. Perhaps you’re in the same situation with your marriage. You know there has to be a way, and you’re determined to find the answer before it’s too late.
I TRIED EVERYTHING I COULD THINK OF. I went to my friends and family to ask them for help, but there was nothing they could do to change my husband’s mind. When that didn’t work, I approached my pastor, only to be told that he didn’t do marriage counseling.
FINALLY, I FOUND A CHRISTIAN COUNSELOR At last I felt like I was going to get some answers. This particular counselor came highly recommended, and I was looking forward to our first session. I envisioned coming out of that session filled with tips and ideas of things I could do and that we could do together as a couple to save our marriage. I couldn’t believe it when, after that first session, she didn’t have any advice for me. I wasn’t offered any kind of plan.
AT THAT POINT I FELT LIKE I WAS REALLY ALONE. If a Christian counselor wasn’t able to give me the help I needed, then what could I possibly do?
PERHAPS THAT IS WHERE YOU ARE FINDING YOURSELF RIGHT NOW. You’ve tried so many things to save your marriage, and every time you’ve sought out resources and help, you’ve realized the same thing I had to realize.
You needed to find someone who specializes in saving marriages.
MY HUSBAND’S CHOICES WERE HIS AND HIS ALONE. I couldn’t change him but I could find someone who has an action plan- that is God’s plan for spouses who hear those words: “I don’t love you anymore.”
SOMETIMES WE HAVE TO GET TO THAT PLACE before we can realize how close God is. It wasn’t until I was utterly alone in my grief over the loss of my marriage that I was able to distinguish God’s arms around me. Shortly after that, I understood that His arms had always been around me; even when I didn’t know it.
MY FRIEND, GOD’S ARMS ARE AROUND YOU TOO. If you know you’re struggling in your marriage. I know you have pain and you want to change your spouse. I’ve been there. I want to invite you to read about my story through Enveloped. You’ll find raw truth in this book because it is my story. My prayer is that it helps you begin the healing process in your own life.
I KNOW GOD HAS GREAT THINGS IN STORE FOR YOU TOO, just like He had great things in store for me. It’s much easier knowing how much He loves you, even when your whole world seems to be falling apart. I would love to share my journey with you as you experience what it’s like for God to envelope you too.
by Carol Erb | Christian Marriage, Uncategorized |
Shock. Disbelief. Confusion.
Perhaps those are the emotions you experienced the moment you realized your husband (wife) was unfaithful or involved in a serious marital betrayal. Even if you suspected it for quite some time, deep down, you prayed that it wouldn’t be true. You tried to reason your suspicions away, but you kept coming up with more reasons why they were real.
At times, when you tried really hard, you were able to forget about them for a while and just focus on what was good about your marriage. However, before long, there they were again. Eventually, you knew you had to act on them.
Whether you asked your husband (wife) about his infidelity and he finally came clean with you, or you found out because of his inability to cover up his indiscretions any longer, the pain you’re feeling is very real. You feel betrayed and humiliated. You also feel lost and alone.
As a woman who lived through the realization that my husband was unfaithful, I understand how a serious marital betrayal feels. I immediately felt as though I had married a stranger, because this man couldn’t possibly be the same person. When I realized that he didn’t love me anymore, it was hard to allow that thought to sink in. As it did, it seemed as though my life would crumble before my eyes.
More than anything, I thought that something could be done to help him. Surely I could convince him that our marriage was worth working on and saving. He must know his infidelity was a mistake and if I was patient enough or if I tried enough possible solutions, something would click eventually, wouldn’t it? After all, we had kids together, and he loved me at one point…didn’t he?
Before long I realized that when nothing changed I had to let go of these false hopes. I had to realize that the love we once had just wasn’t there anymore. He had made a decision to stop loving me, and that was something I needed to accept if I was ever going to be the person God intended for me to be. I needed to accept it if I was going to find healing.
If this is an issue you’re facing in your marriage, please know that you are not alone. Not only have I been there, I also know that God is also with you every step of the way, just like He was with me. Throughout all the pain and the sadness, God never left me. That is what my new book: Enveloped is all about.
Sometimes it’s not until we see how closely God has held us through all of our trials that we can understand how much He really loves us. I want to invite you to join me as I open my life to you for the purpose of helping you find healing from the pain in your marriage. We serve a good God, and His plans are always for our benefit and prosperity, regardless of the circumstances we may find ourselves in.
You can read more about how God took the betrayal and loss I experienced and created hope and goodness in my life in my upcoming book, Enveloped.
Enveloped is my story, but perhaps it could be yours as well. If you or someone you know is struggling with an issue in your marriage and you need to talk to someone who can help you, please contact me at 843-379-0288. You can also set up an marriage coaching appointment with through my convenient online scheduler.
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